In the shadows
by peanuts107
Summary: Complete:: Isabeau Navarre led a perfect life at Beauxbatons academy of magic, but when her mother died she was forced to finish her final years at Hogwarts, Friendless and alone she turned to her head of house for comfort. Rated R for adult themes.
1. Sleepless nights

**Disclaimer: -** Harry Potter and all related characters, items, and magical spells belong totally and fully to the fantastic JKRowling. This fic is purely made for my personal pleasure and is not meant to offend, ridicule or reduce the wonderful works of Ms Rowling whatsoever.

Ok with that out of the way enjoy!

* * *

**In the shadows**

**Chapter 1: -** Sleepless nights

Isabeau Navarre didn't consider herself to be a normal eighteen year old; she wasn't like the rest of her peers at Hogwarts. Unlike them Isabeau hated every day she spent at the school, Waking for Isabeau was torture, a torture that was only mildly eased by her many sleepless nights. Isabeau had came to Hogwarts over a year ago when her mother had died and she had been forced to move to England to be closer to her estranged grandparents, neither they nor Isabeau really wanted her to be with them as they had never taken much of an active role in Isabeau's life, but as her only known living relatives neither party had much choice in the matter.

And so it was that a little after her seventeenth birthday Isabeau had been removed from her old school of Beauxbatons and was placed at Hogwarts and into the house of Slytherin. Isabeau didn't like the school or the people in her house and she preferred to sit alone studying or just watching the common room fire, Isabeau's best subject by far at Hogwarts was potions. Knowing that she was good at something had initially helped to ease Isabeau's distress at such a major up evil in her life, but doing potions wasn't the only thing that Isabeau was good at.

Isabeau just lay there as her professor went through the same motions night after night, slowly kissing her neck, nipping and biting at her skin has he tightly held her head with one hand and the other, ice cold, begin to explore. Always the same places, her hair, then moving to her neck and breasts, slowly and forceful needing them in small circles as Isabeau grimaced through the pain and his hands continued their descent down her slim firm form towards her inner thigh.

She barely remembered their first time. It was so long ago now. They had been alone one evening in his cold dungeon classroom mixing up a much needed potion for madam Pomfrey the matron. Each breath they took could be seen in the freezing air and they both leaned close to the cauldrons simmering fire to stay warm, it was then that it had happened, The most innocent of touches, but it soon led to so much more. They started it there and then on the cold hard stone class room floor.  
  
Back then they were both thirsty for each other. They tore and pulled at each other ripping and scratching as instincts took over, it didn't matter that they were teacher and pupil or that he was so much older then her, they both needed something that at that time they were both willing to surrender. But now?

Now it was more of a habit, a different type of instincts like a smoker who takes pleasure in a long awaited fag, or the coffee addict that savours their first cup of the day. But for Isabeau the smoke had soon turned rancid and the coffee grew cold but by now it had become a habit, a grooming that Isabeau was a willing participant in. Each night as he pushed inside of her and he slowly began to moan as he forced himself deeper as he rocked on top of her, Isabeau thought of her old friends at Beauxbatons that she would never see again, or of the happy memories of her mother long ago when she was still alive. It was the day her mother died, Isabeau thought that she too had died. The little bit of her soul that had once made her whole had been buried with her mother and her only real family, the only real person that had ever loved her.

"Stay?" he asked breathlessly as he finally collapsed on her, sweating, exhausted and breathing hard as he grabbed her wrist trying to prevent her from moving. She always left straight afterwards, she didn't love him and so saw no point in staying just to have him engulf her in his arms and hold her tightly whispering sweet nothings in her ears, as he pretended that she was somebody she wasn't, someone who had left him long ago.  
  
"You made your choice sir," Isabeau said courteously as she pulled herself painfully free from him and sat on the edge of her professor's bed pulling her panties on and gathering up her robes before she moved to the door, "You chose your career over her and now we both have to suffer"  
  
"The same time tomorrow?" He asked as she closed the door behind her, She always promised herself she wouldn't return, but every evening she did, she returned again and again simply because through this man she felt connected, connected to a past that her mother had never told her about, about her life at Hogwarts and an old lover.


	2. Cleansing

**Chapter 2: -** Cleansing

Outside Snape's quarters Isabeau paused to pull on her robes and to breath,

At the beginning, when they had first started it, it had been exciting, he had been able to quench her needs, and he had made her feel whole, wanted and even to some extent loved.

But now, after countless nights she felt the pain beginning to creep back into her, filling her with an emptiness that had began the day her life had changed completely, now even he wasn't able to fill that hole.

Silently and quickly she moved along the pitch black corridors, she knew these dungeon passages by heart now and even in this blackness Isabeau knew her way, after a while she uttered the common room password to the damp looking rotten bricks they parted and she climbed inside to the now empty common room beyond. The huge common room Fire had died low by now and the light it cast only fell a foot from its source. Isabeau headed to the girls showers. She always bathed afterwards, spending longer there then she had done with him, cleansing herself of his smell that was clinging to her body.  
  
She simply stood and let the water run over her, soaking every inch of her body as though it was able to wash away all her sins. She laughed a dry and mirthless laugh as she thought about this ridiculous notion. Even if the water was able to free her from her past transgressions there was some evils in Isabeau's past that the most sanctified water would never be able to penetrate, these evils resided deep within Isabeau's soul and now could never be purified.  
  
She had once came close to freeing herself of the hatred and pain that she felt within herself, it had happened the first time she had been with him, it had been her first time with any man and she had been as eager for the act as he had. But as soon as her excitement of him began to fade and their times together became more regular the pain and hatred soon returned, but now they were returning stronger and more heavier then before. She could feel the pain growing inside of her everyday, deep down in the pit of her stomach making her feel sick.

Isabeau sighed, as she finally stepped out of the shower her light blonde hair dripping with water as she towelled herself dry. She could feel the tears starting to burn at her eyes as they often did these days after her time with him. She knew they were not tears of regret or sorrow at being with him or tears of despair at the situation that she had created for herself at this school, being friendless and unpopular suited Isabeau very well. It meant that there was no one to ask her stupid question of her whereabouts or how she was feeling deep down inside. She had never told a living soul about the pain she carried not even her old friends from Beauxbatons, who after several months of Isabeau not replying to their letters had given up on her. This too suited Isabeau as their letters always reminded her of the life that she had had to leave behind, and of her mother. It was for her mother that the tears came.  
  
As the tears stung her eyes she leaned against the washbasin and crouched, it was with great difficulty and pain that she removed her diaphragm, washed it under the ice cold water and dried it, she returned it to the small box concealed deep inside her robes. Like everything about Isabeau this too was a habit, and like most things about her she was probably the only girl in the school that carried her own contraceptive. She had too; Severus had medieval ideas about that sort of thing, along with most of the members of her house. But despite Isabeau's masochistic tendencies she wasn't willing to inflict her world and problems on an unwanted innocent being.

It was long after 3am that Isabeau retired to the girl's dorm, unlike the other houses at the school the Slytherins only had two long dormitories, one for the male students and another for the female students. Each year of that gender shared the dormitory and again unlike the other houses there was no preventative charms to stop each gender entering the others dorm.  
  
Isabeau moved silently passed the many emerald curtained beds towards her own. She was thankful that this night all was quite, there wasn't any sounds of moans or groaning mingling amongst the breathing and snoring of her slumbering peers.  
  
But Isabeau's progression to her bed wasn't as unnoticed as she had thought, unknown to her, the climatic noises that regularly broke the otherwise silence of the dorm had faded only a few hours before Isabeau's return and as Isabeau removed her robes for the second time that night and slipped into her bed covers, final year Draco Malfoy emerged from a fifth years bed. Draco was grinning hard, both at the thought that the young lovesick fifth former would soon realise what the real world was like when she realised she had been tricked into a one night stand by a pro, and the knowledge that Isabeau Navarre had more to reveal then just what had really happened to her mother.


	3. Awakening

**Chapter 3: -** Awakening  
  
"It had been a long time since I was with someone before you" he said softly as he gently stroked her arm with a single finger. Once again he had stopped her from leaving that night his weight pressing her down onto the bed as he stayed within her and he held her close. He had never spoken this much to her in the past when they were together and Isabeau found that this talkativeness slightly annoyed her. She tried to release herself but he wouldn't let her move, he continued to speak almost as though he was oblivious to her unease at his words.  
  
"I've very rarely wanted anything as much as I have wanted you, I often find myself counting the hours until we are together" he was now staring rapturously at her face trying to make eye contact, but Isabeau turned her head to one side avoiding is gaze.  
  
There were two things that Isabeau refused to allow him to do when they where together, kissing on the lips and making eye contact. Isabeau believed that these things conveyed too much passion and by having passion in this twisted relationship, Isabeau knew it would mean that she and Snape would truly be making love instead of just having sex. Sex Isabeau deduced was something done by anyone, by animals and by humans a like, it was an instinctual thing that just naturally happened, the survival of the fittest and the dominating of one being over another. Love was different, Isabeau never thought much about love or being in love, she would see her peers walking around the castle halls holding hands and giggling with their boyfriends or girlfriends both parties claiming that they unquestioningly loved the other purely because the word was so disposable and jaded. The word alone was able to quell the most heated argument and satisfy the most wanton lies even if there wasn't any truth behind the word.  
  
Isabeau believed that love was more then just a word which could be used and exchanged like currency, to Isabeau love was a feeling, an undying ever existing being that would forever remain in your soul, building your very existence. Love was being so much a part of another's life that it was hard to distinguish yourself from them. Love, Isabeau believed had no bounds in life or in death.  
  
Not wanting to show love or passion was also the reason why she always tried to speak to him politely by calling him 'Sir' she had only ever once called him Severus and that was during their first time together, at that time Isabeau had been new to Hogwarts she had been scared, she was in a strange school and hadn't fully grieved for her lost life or mother. Snape had been her last chance to cling to something that reminded her of both. Back then in his embrace she still could pretend her life was normal, that he loved her and that her world was still complete. Back then it was Isabeau that didn't want to leave his bedchamber in the early hours, who wanted to cling to him in the hopes that he could some how rectify the wrongs she had committed. But now she knew better and so preferred to remain as detached as possible from him, and by calling him 'Sir' and refusing to be kissed and not making eye contact made it easy for her to stay isolated from him as he penetrated her and writhed on top of her.  
  
"It is three weeks until your graduation." he said continuing his talk as he stated the obvious, his voice sounding like that which a father would use towards his child as he made plans about their future "Three weeks till you are no longer a student at this school and I will no longer be your teacher. I am curious as to what you plan to do after you graduate?"  
  
"Get drunk I suppose!" Isabeau laughed dryly not wanting him to continue, for she could guess what this line of questioning was leading to.  
  
He laughed as he leaned into her cheek and kissed it gently, Isabeau became very rigid, she knew what he was trying to do but she wouldn't let him,  
  
"I should leave, sir" She stated plainly as she once again tried to move but once again he wouldn't allow her too.  
  
"Would it be so bad if this continued?" He made it sound like a question but Isabeau knew he wanted no reply, not yet anyway "I am not overly wealthy but I can offer you so much more then you have now. A home, a life, and maybe with a bit of time even a family of our own"  
  
Isabeau's stomach lurched, and her eyes widened, she had been expecting this for some time now, even though she had done her utmost to dissuade him. Throughout her life Isabeau had been dependent on one person, her mother, everything that she had owned and her life at Beauxbatons had all been taken for granted. And so now she refused to be placed in the same situation where her life revolved around one individual that promised to provide her the world, only to have her life and dreams snatched from her once more. Not that Isabeau dreamed of anything these days or valued the life that she now lived.  
  
It wasn't that she didn't pray for an end to her pain, for the storm that raged inside her to finally break and to allow her to move on with her life, because she did. But it was hard for the storms to fade when secretly she clung to the pain within her because she truly believed she should be punished. Isabeau knew that she was the main reason why her mother was no longer with her, why she had to now reside in a school of minimal grandeur and why she allowed him to satisfy himself with her most nights, knowing that he had once been her mothers lover! Maybe she owed it to him? Maybe all the nights that they had spent together were Isabeau's way of repaying him for that loss?  
  
_'But that!' _Isabeau thought angrily as she pushed him off her and finally tore herself free, _'Didn't mean that he could presume such things!!!'_ she shook off his hand as he tried to grab her and quickly seized her robes as she fled his quarters.


	4. A welcomed intrusion

**Chapter 4: -** A welcomed intrusion  
  
Isabeau hurried back to the Slytherin common room pulling her robes on as she went, her bare feet flapping on the cold, hard stone corridor floors as she ran. Tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she quickly gave the old wall the password and she climbed inside.  
  
Once within the security of the now dark room, Isabeau breathed but she soon found that she was chastising herself. She didn't really know why she had been so furious with him; it wasn't as though his proposition hadn't been unexpected. But it was the questions that he had stirred within her that made Isabeau most angry, ordinarily these were questions that Isabeau would never have had. Question like had she been too hasty in leaving tonight? Should she have heard him out fully? Maybe he wasn't even asking her what she thought he was?

She headed to the showers with her mind racing of different thoughts and scenarios, she performed her post Snape rituals of showering and removing her contraception almost like she was on autopilot, she didn't acknowledge the hot water covering her body or the pain as she once more removed her Diaphragm. One thought played louder then the rest in her mind as she stood in front of the full length bathroom mirror looking at her slim pasty form as her damp blonde hair hung limply around her shoulders, Would becoming Mrs Isabeau Snape bring an end to her pain?  
  
Silently Isabeau headed back to the common room intent on heading straight to her bed, but a movement from the fireside stopped her progression.  
  
"It's a little late to be out and about isn't it?" asked the all too familiar voice of Draco Malfoy, he stood leaning against the mantel of the fire place, dressed in his school robes.  
  
"I could say the same to you?" Isabeau said firmly as a small smile played on Draco's lips, Isabeau shared many of the same classes with Draco and knew that his attention wasn't always a good thing to have, but Isabeau had to admit that she was curious as to why he was here.  
  
"You fascinate me Navarre" Draco said plainly as he moved towards her "sneaking in and out of this house each night, it makes me wonder where you go?"  
  
Immediately Isabeau thought that Draco knew! That he had some how found out about her nocturnal visits to their head of house's privet chambers, Draco's wicked grin certainly gave the impression that he was hiding a secret from her that he was itching to reveal.

"Where I go is of no concern to you Malfoy" Isabeau said standing her ground as Draco proceeded to walk slowly towards her, if he did know she wasn't about to make it easy for him  
  
"Indeed" he purred his voice low as he finally stood only a few inches away "I know exactly where you go, I followed you tonight. Does our dear professor pay in galleons or in kind?"

Enraged Isabeau struck him across the face her hand smashing into his right cheek, splitting his lip and drawing blood, Draco's smile widened as he licked at his own blood, his eyes full of fire. Fire and passion!  
  
Before she could fully understand what had happened she was on him in an instance, both of them were locked in a kiss, a kiss that Isabeau hadn't felt for so long, it was full of passion and a burning desire. Their arms wrapped around each other and Isabeau could feel a hunger that she hadn't felt in a very long time. Draco's sexual exploitations were legendary throughout Slytherin house but this didn't matter to Isabeau, she wanted him like she had once wanted Severus and it was she that was making all the moves pulling at him, caressing him and wanting him.  
  
Isabeau hadn't felt this alive in a long time, the contrast Between Draco and Snape's styles was immense, Draco was gentle and tender with her, almost as though he was afraid to touch her, his soft warm hands caressed her face as he leaned in to kiss her again and instead of turning away Isabeau allowed him to. His kiss was alive and full of passion their lips met, both slightly open as they invited the other to explore. Finally as they pulled out of the kiss their eyes met and Isabeau knew that she wanted Draco more then any other man alive.

They were beyond words as both their looks consented for the other to proceed, His hands moved to her sides and he effortlessly lifted her onto a nearby table. Slowly he moved his hands up under her robes massaging her inner thighs as she felt the excitement growing in her, a warmth spread from where his hands touched her and moved through her whole body.

As he massaged her, Isabeau returned the kindness, pulling his robes away she slipped her hands down his front rhythmically moving her hands as she felt his erection grow.

Draco's touch made her feel alive like Snapes had done once, but unlike Snape Isabeau found that she wanted Draco to continue she leaned slightly backwards arching her back and raising her hips willingly allowing him to opened her legs wide as she grabbed the front of Draco's shirt and pulled him towards her, she wanted this just like she had wanted Snape in those early days. She moaned slightly as Draco pushed inside of her, Isabeau willing him to penetrate deeper and finally Draco joined the madness. His hands quickly moved from her thighs to her breast feeling their way below her robes caressing her naked flesh as Draco leaned slightly over her, both of them moaning in pleasure, Draco's eyes never leaving hers as she clutched the edges of the small table and Draco pushed deeper, her legs wrapping around him as his hands took hold of her shoulders and pulled her closer both of them screaming in pleasure as their movements become faster, making her very being tingle as he thrust further and then climaxing.

Draco arched one last time before he fell exhausted on top of her, both breathing heavily, he smiled and kissed her again on the lips, it felt like a reward for all her hard effort, the sweat trickling down both of their bodies as he kissed her once more and then there was nothing.


	5. Lifting the mask

**Chapter 5: -** Lifting the mask  
  
Slowly Isabeau opened her eyes; she had been awakened by a softness on her cheeks, a tenderness that she hadn't felt in a very long time.  
  
"Good morning gorgeous" said a soft voice that was very close to her ear, slowly opening her eyes she saw him, Draco Malfoy. His arm wrapped around her, their naked bodies pressed lightly together, his heat warming her small frame.

For the first time in months Isabeau smiled, and she was pleased to see that as she opened her eyes her smile was reflected on Draco's pointed features. She didn't have to look around her to feel that she was in her own bed, both of them, warm and safe under her covers the hangings pulled around them, secluding them from any prying eyes. Isabeau had a vague recollection of Draco carrying her here afterwards. But never had she imagined that he would have stayed with her. Usually that wasn't in Draco Malfoy's style.  
  
"What time is it?" she asked making a move to turn to see her alarm clock, but Draco wouldn't let her,  
  
"It's late" Draco said softly as he pulled her closer and smiling even more, "Classes started hours ago, potions is just finishing and Snape will be furious that we didn't show. The entire house is empty...apart from us!" he grinned mischievously as he ran a soft warm hand down Isabeau's front making her grin and then moan blissfully as he touched her and the warmth that she had felt last night spread throughout her body once more.  
  
In seconds they were once more locked in each others embrace as the fires returned to them and they relived the passion of the pervious night again and again. They spent the remainder of the day between Isabeau's sheets, wrapped in each others arms, caressing and kissing each other as they moved rhythmically together entwining as one. Neither hunger nor the noise of Isabeau's younger dorm mates returning to fetch books and stationary made them leave the bed, halt their progression or stifle their sounds. Draco's kisses were strong and conveyed all the passion that Isabeau had refused to bestow on Snape, finally as the day grew and the bewitched torches of the dorm sparked into life signally the end of the day Draco withdrew from her and kissed her one last time before he headed towards his own dorm and to sleep.  
  
Lying there alone in her bed Isabeau felt cold and even more isolated and unloved then before, and like always tears stung at her eyes. She guessed that this was how Snape must have felt only twenty four hours ago when she had fled from his quarters after he had almost asked her if he could completely change her world.  
  
But her world had changed; Draco had changed it for her. Right now she would have been creeping out of the common room towards Snape's private quarters where he would have sweated over her breathing hard as he pleasured himself with her. But Draco had changed all of that. In one night of passion he had shown more love and kindness to Isabeau then anyone else had done in over a year. Finally knowing that for the second time in her life she had made love Isabeau smiled, her tears quickly dried and for the first time in a long time her sleep was undisturbed by the ghosts of her past.  
  
"Wake up" purred a soft voice in Isabeau's ear which started her out of her dreams,  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked quickly as she opened her eyes to see Draco lying next to her on the bed  
  
"I've a surprise for you" he said as he moved his hand slowly down Isabeau's arm and took hold of her hand. Draco refused to tell her what the surprise was as her led her out of the dormitory and into the cold corridors of the castle. Both dressed in their night clothes, he led her up to the very top of the astronomy tower the gentle wind whipping at their features as the first rays of sun broke through the morning clouds.  
  
"It's beautiful isn't it?" Draco said his hand still tightly clasp in Isabeau's as he stared out at the rising sun, a single tear rolling down his cheek.  
  
Isabeau stared at Draco disbelievingly, was this the same Draco Malfoy that she heard her dorm mates crying over most nights? The same Draco Malfoy that slept with a girl purely to teach her that guys like him did exist? The malicious, bullying, Draco Malfoy that swaggered around the house common room acting as though he was the alpha male with his two Gargoyle like body guards striding behind him. Finally she came to the obvious conclusion, that that Draco was as much as a show and a fake as she was.  
  
The real Isabeau Navarre had been hiding behind a shield of pain for over a year, torturing herself over her mothers death. In her heart she knew that her mother hadn't given her life so that her daughter could live a life full of regret and anguish, her mother would have wanted her to have moved on by now, to have began to build a new life.  
  
The Real Isabeau wasn't a heartless creature that hid in the shadows, friendless and hate filled. The real Isabeau was a fiery animal that lived for the light, to be the centre of attention and was as passionate as her French blood would allow. That had been her life at Beauxbatons, she had been popular, liked and loved by both men and women. She wore the finest clothes; set many different trends and she lived a life of luxury both at school and at home. Her life had been one not too dissimilar to Draco's, one that was perceived by outsiders as a wondrous thing. But even then and unbeknown to Isabeau her life held dark secrets, secrets that even now remained unanswered


	6. Indulgences

**Chapter 6: -** Indulgences  
  
They watched the sun as it rose, turning the sky from a watery grey to a brilliant bronze, and then to a magnificent sky blue.  
  
They had sat for over an hour leaning against the balustrades of the astronomy tower, Draco still clutching Isabeau's hand tightly in his own as though he was fearful that if he let go she would leave him.  
  
But Isabeau had no intentions of leaving Draco, she had completely misunderstood this man, she had never known that there was such a kindness within him. They spent the day sitting and talking on top of the tower, safe in the knowledge that they wouldn't be interrupted as the tower was only used at nights. They talked about nothing; it was small talk really, about the different things that they liked, people they disliked and the classes that they found difficult. Isabeau knew that there where questions that Draco wanted her to answer and she found that the more they talked the more that she dreaded him asking her. He talked about his family and how he thought his parents expected too much from him, how people treated him just because he was a Malfoy and how, despite his popularity, he felt so very much alone.  
  
"It's expected of me" Draco said solemnly as Isabeau rested her head on his lap and he gently caressed her hair with his fingers "People don't want to know the real me, they just want to know the Malfoy me. The Draco that's strong, well liked and doesn't care what others think of him! But inside I don't feel like I'm any of those things"  
  
"I know what you mean" Isabeau said and before she knew it she found herself confiding in Draco about the life she had once had back in France, Of the friends she had turned away from and the anguish that she had felt for her mother and how she had thought that only Snape could heal her of that pain.  
  
"How did she die?" He asked quietly as his hand gently shifted her hair giving him a better view of her features as the sun continued its arch in the sky "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to...?"  
  
Isabeau smiled nervously her first instincts were to lie. But that wouldn't have been fair on Draco, he had confided in her his deepest secrets and this knowledge made Isabeau want to finally tell another being her own.  
  
Draco didn't interrupted her once as she talked; he sat holding her close to his chest as they both looked out towards the slowly setting sun, Isabeau feeling for once happy and contented, she had never even told Snape how she had been responsible for her mothers death, how it had been her fault that they had came. She had just turned seventeen and was home for the summer holidays. To celebrate her birthday her old friends from Beauxbatons had arranged a party for her at a local Muggle nightclub, but because of the increased sighting of you know who Isabeau's mother had forbidden her to go.  
  
On reflection Isabeau would have described herself as being a spoiled child, she was an only child and always got what she wanted. She had lived alone with her mother in a luxurious house in the outskirts of Paris, she had had the most finest of things, And so a little thing like her mothers wishes wasn't going to prevent that Isabeau from doing what she wanted.  
  
Isabeau found herself telling Draco how she had snuck out of the house late at night how she had celebrated with her friends into the early hours of the morning and how she had returned as the night's sky was slowly fading into a slivery grey. Choking on her own words as she relived the memory as Draco sat silently gently rubbing her back as she told him how she had returned to find a large emerald snake entwining itself around a skull, protruding out of its grotesque mouth like hundreds of green stars blazing in the sky above her home.  
  
At this revelation Isabeau noted how Draco's body stiffened slightly next to hers and how his rhythmic massaging of her back had suddenly halted it's progress, but Isabeau was just glad to have someone who was willing to listen and so she continued as her voice began to crack. She spoke of how she had been the first to enter the house after the attack, how she had frantically searched every room to find her mother and how when she had finally found her mothers body, her small delicate frame with hair that matched exactly to Isabeau's was strewn across her own bed, battered, bruised, half naked and a look of immense terror and pain spread across her otherwise kindly features.  
  
Isabeau cried as she confessed to Draco how before she had even been born her mother had fled England, from her past life and even though the terror that had been wide spread throughout Brittan hadn't fully penetrated France Isabeau's mother had always tried to shield her from the life that she had tried to leave behind, from the horrors that had plagued the country and from the man that had been Isabeau's father.  
  
Isabeau knew nothing of her mothers past life until that night when she had seen her mothers limp body, where burning on her forearm was a jet black tattoo of the same designed skull and snake that blazed above her house.  
  
Isabeau's mother's parents had always been disappointed in their child, and took great pleasure in telling their even more disappointing granddaughter about her mothers sordid past of how after leaving Hogwarts Isabeau's mother had met a tall dark haired young man, who had encouraged her to join and to meet with the wrong sort of people with him. How Isabeau's mother claimed that she loved this man and how he had eventually gotten their daughter pregnant. Isabeau's tears fell even more as she explained how she felt responsible for her mother's death, how if she had stayed in the house like her mother had wanted then she could have saved her mother from the fate that befell her.

Draco held her tightly as he kissed her tears softly as they rolled down her cheeks. Smiling through the tears Isabeau returned Draco's affections as she kissed him lightly on the lips and they held each other close as their hands began to once more explore each others bodies and they were once again pulling at each others clothing, freeing the other of the restrictiveness of the garments as Draco positioned himself across her bare and exposed form. Draco's lips caressed Isabeau's cheeks as his breath warmed her skin as he lay on top of her.  
  
"Tell me you love me!" He demanded as he moved his hand downwards and she moaned in pleasure as his hands touched her, teasing her, reminding her of the pleasures that he was willing to offer her and their now shared pains.  
  
"I-do-love-you" she sighed through the pleasure and he teased her once more and the wave of pleasure and warmth spread through her entire body. Draco smiled contently before he pushed himself hard into her making her wince.  
  
It wasn't until the sun had finally began to set and the clouds darkened as the heavens opened in a down pure of chilling rain that they fled from the roof of the astronomy tower, Draco tightly holding Isabeau's hand as he led her back towards their dungeon common room their clothing leaving a trial of water droplets as they ran,  
  
"Miss Navarre!" Called the all too familiar voice of their head of house as they passed the potions classroom, Isabeau dropped Draco's hand as Snape stalked into the corridor, glaring at them.  
  
"A word please Miss Navarre?" Snape said indicating that he wished her to enter the class room, his features wore their usual scowl but a murderous glint was sparkling in his eyes as he glared at Draco.

Isabeau's stomach lurched as she looked between her two lovers, she had no desire to be anywhere private and secluded with Snape ever again, now that she had know real love the memories of her nights with Snape made her skin crawl. Draco had shown her a love that had surpassed that of the old and tired potions masters. Draco was young vibrant and alive, their love for each other was beyond words and feelings. But Isabeau feared the younger mans safety as they all stood in the darkened corridor and so reluctantly she entered the classroom.  
  
"Where have you been?!?" Snape raged as he closed the door behind him. His voice was almost hysterical, the sudden change from his low hiss only a moment before made Isabeau recoil slightly from him,  
  
"I'm sorry" he whispered softly as he pulled her into a embrace, his black robes folding around her as they engulfed her in their depths and he held her tightly, his head resting on hers "It's just that.....I'm concerned for you...First you run out on me, then you don't show up for lessons and then I wait for you hoping that you will come but you never do! What's wrong? Did I offend you?" he asked his last question as he tried unsuccessfully to look her in the eye.  
  
"I had a headache" Isabeau lied as she pulled free from him "I Just don't feel too good"  
  
"You're looking a little pale" he commented as he placed his hand on her forehead feeling it's dampness from the rain "You and Malfoy shouldn't be out in this weather you'll both get I'll. Maybe you have a cold coming? you should go to Madam Pomfrey"  
  
Isabeau tried to reassure Snape that she wasn't ill and that the heat that he could feel was because she had been very energetic that afternoon, but he wouldn't listen to Isabeau's protests and insisted that he escort her to the school infirmary, where the matron, Madam Pomfrey ran lots of different and unusual tests as the matron tutted and shook her head continuously.  
  
"Well it's final!" The old nurse said as she emerged from her office holding a small vile of urine that she had made Isabeau give her. Pomfrey's looked was a very grim one and she looked at Isabeau with an expression of deep disappointment  
  
"You should really take more care of your students Severus" she said bitterly as she threw Snape a furious look "Allowing them to run amok in that house of theirs-"  
  
"What's wrong?" Isabeau cut across madam Pomfrey, Isabeau's head was slightly spinning and she was even now beginning to feel I'll.  
  
"I'm afraid, young miss Navarre that your pregnant my dear!"  
  
"Pregnant?" Snape asked his voice a mixture of shock and amusement as he turned to look at Isabeau and a smile spread across his usual sardonic features, betraying his true emotions.  
  
"Preg-no but I can't be" Isabeau said blankly, her head was really spinning now, she had always been careful, she had always used protection.  
  
"Well the results beg to differ" the matron said tartly as she held the urine vile up "Your Pregnant and your at least a few days gone, you'll be due in march"


	7. Falling

**Chapter 7: -** Falling  
  
Pregnant? Isabeau couldn't believe it; she had always taken great precautions every time she had been with Snape, but madam Pomfrey's words rang through her head like a broken record. She had been pregnant for the past few days, Three days ago had been the last time she had slept with her head of house but like always unbeknown to Snape she had used her own form of contraception. She had even used it when she had been with Draco on the Astronomy tower and even the full day that she had spent with Draco in bed she had slipped away to replace her diaphragm.  
  
But the memory of the first time that she had been with Draco suddenly came rushing back to her, it had been the night she had fled from Snape's bed, after her post Snape cleansing ritual, after her shower and after she had removed her diaphragm in the showers. Had it really been only three days? It felt like a life time ago that she had first been with Draco Malfoy in the common room, even now she could remember every moment of it, how his touch had been so gentle, how he had wanted her as much she had wanted him and how full of passion his kiss had been.  
  
Isabeau's thoughts where full of that night with Draco and the love that he had for her, as Snape escorted her back to the common room entrance. Isabeau knew she had to tell Draco that he was to be a father as soon as she could. She had always been dead set against having children but back then her life only consisted of Severus and a love that had always been one sided. The thought of spending her life with a man that she didn't love only because it was convenient was now a ridiculous prospect, especially when Isabeau thought of Draco.  
  
"Things will be different now" Snape said smiling as they reached the entrance to the common room and he placed his hand on Isabeau's stomach, where in a few months time a bump would be visible "You've no need to worry about a thing, I'll look after you both" he promised this to Isabeau with confidence as though Isabeau had already consented to be his as though the child that was even now growing inside of her was his child. He bent low to kiss her but like always Isabeau turned her head and his lips made contact with her cheek,  
  
"It will be different" he repeated as Isabeau turned gave the password and climbed into the now open passageway that lead to the common room without a backwards glance at her now ex-lover.

Isabeau didn't have to search the common room for long to find Draco, he was standing next the common room fire, a large crowd of Slytherins sitting in front of him all of them laughing at some joke he had just made. Isabeau couldn't help but smile at the way that his laugh lit up his eyes like burning candles in a deep dark night. She smiled even more at the thought that she was the only person in this entire room that knew the real Draco Malfoy and that how she alone was carrying his child, a child that had been conceived in love, Just like she had been when her mother had taken the tall, dark haired stranger as her lover many years ago, Suddenly Isabeau was ripped out of her thoughts by Draco's words.

"I-do-love-you" Draco gasped in a high pitched voice as the crowd around him roared with laughter many more laughed harder when they saw Isabeau standing at the entrance to the common room,  
  
"What's going on?" She asked hoping that she had completely misread the situation, but Draco's smile told her everything that she needed to know,  
  
"Just entertaining my fans" he said plainly in a condescending tone, that Isabeau found hurtful  
  
"But you said that you hated all this!" Isabeau said quickly as she hurried towards him as Draco laughed quietly, Isabeau didn't understand why he was being like this,  
  
"You said that you hated everyone idolising you, living in your father's shadow, being a Malfoy! You said I was the only one that ever could understand how you felt!" Isabeau yelled as she grabbed hold of Draco's hand and he shoved her to the ground as he laughed mirthlessly and many of her female housemates laughed knowingly.  
  
"I told you that because I knew it was what you wanted to hear, why would I hate what I have? I love being me, People fear me, respect me, they even want to be me! And most of all..." Draco leaned close over her and purred in her ear using the same voice that he had used the night he had seduced her "I can easily manipulate those naive enough to believe me"  
  
"But you made me believe that you loved me!" Isabeau yelled her heart breaking as Draco laughed and the horror of the past few days finally stuck Isabeau as she realised how foolish she had been to believe that Draco Malfoy could love anyone but himself.  
  
"It was just an act" Draco said loudly as he stood up "You had something that I wanted to know. I must admit that the way of finding it out was very...enjoyable" he said cruelly smiling his pitiless smile once more,  
  
"So, I got a little too involved; did you really think that I could love a creature as abysmal as you?" Draco spat his smile growing at the corners of his lips Isabeau knew exactly why he had chosen those words, they conveyed all the malice that they needed to yet without giving out any information to the rest of the house, of her past, of the secrets that she had told the man that she had been foolish enough to love and to think that he had loved her in return.  
  
"You cried, that morning on the Astronomy tower I saw you, you said the sun rise was beautiful and you cried!!!" Isabeau yelled in her anguish as she still clung to her final hope, but she could hear Pansy cackling in the background as Crabbe and Goyle snorted in amusement.  
  
"It was all the same act I'm afraid" Draco sneered as he bowed slightly like a stage actor at the end of a magnificent performance.  
  
"But I'm carrying your child!" Isabeau begged as the common room drew deathly quite at her words,  
  
"And why should your bastard be of any concern to me?" Draco said leaning against the fire side his voice dropping to a quite hiss as Cabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles and flanked him at his sides  
  
"Please!" Isabeau begged  
  
"PLEASE!" Draco mocked out loud as the house roared with laugher before he dropped his voice and hissed at her once more "You're a whore Navarre, just like your mother. You'll make a fine living after Hogwarts by just lying on your back! That's the only reason the Dark lord allowed your mother to stay by his side, but when he fell she was too scared to stay in the country and she fled. she was only marked because she was his property not beacuse she was his equal, its quite fitting that his bastard now carries one of it's own!"  
  
Isabeau threw herself at him screaming as her anger finally spilled, all she wanted to do was to hurt this man that had tricked her into loving him and who was liying about her mothers past. Isabeau's fist made contact with Draco's face and a sickening crack signalled the breaking of Draco's nose as blood and fists flew everywhere. Goyle grabbed Isabeau by her hair and wrenched her backwards as she screamed in pain, feeling as though she was being scalped as Goyle hauled her off Draco and pulled her arms high up behind her back almost pulling them out of their sockets.  
  
"You stupid whore!" Draco roared as the blood poured from his nose drenching his brilliant white shirt red. Screwing his face up in a grimace mixed with pain and anger Draco flew at Isabeau as Goyle held her tightly. Draco hit her hard in the stomach and Isabeau doubled over as pain burst from her innards as she fell to the ground and Draco kicked her in the stomach, hard. As the pain quickly spread Isabeau could feel blood trickling down the insides off her legs and she knew that she needn't be concern of how she would cope raising a child on her own as she knew now there wouldn't be any child.  
  
Isabeau fled from the common room as her house mates laughed and sneered at her, and the pain from within her hurt beyond any pain she had ever felt before. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care, her tears were blinding her, her heart was braking and she knew that she had once again brought her troubles on herself from her own stupidity. When she finally stopped running she found herself outside the potions classroom.  
  
Quietly sitting in the room was Snape marking his students work, Isabeau had no one else to turn to, bursting into the room tears streaming down her face, blood soaking the lower part of her robes she told him everything. About how she had lied to him only a few hours before, how her mother had died, how for the past few days she had been laying with another man whom she had thought loved her and how the child that he had thought was his, she had actually conceived with Draco Malfoy.  
  
"What am I supposed to do?" she pleaded as she begged him on hands and knees pulling at his robes trying to hold him close, she wanted him to hold her like he had always done, to assure her that all would be well and that despite everything he was still wanting to look after her. But he didn't, he stood glaring at Isabeau as though she was a disgusting thing that he had found on the sole of his shoe.  
  
"That!" he said his voice betraying no emotion as he pulling his robes from Isabeau's grasp "Is of no concern to me" with that he turned and walked away leaving Isabeau alone on the cold hard stone floor of the potions classroom.  
  
Tears pooled at her eyes, and she chocked as her throat became thick and it was hard for her to swallow, it had happened again, she had turned the person that had truly loved her against her once more. She had begun to resent what Snape had given to her, in the months after the loss of her mother and her past life of luxury, Snape had shown her that he had cared for her more then anyone else had done, he had comforted her when she had needed to be comforted and he had been willing to provide her with a life after the misery that had been Hogwarts. But now? Now Isabeau had nothing!  
  
Isabeau fell to the floor as the tears finally fell, she felt the pain descending on her once more, the walls felt like they where closing in on her, her head was spinning and all she could think of was that she needed an end to this pain, to this world, to her life. With that at the forefront of her mind she pulled the draws of the cabinets open, madly searching for the thing that she desired.  
  
She held the blade firmly in her hand, as its teeth bite into her flesh, the cold steal contrasting with her warmth as it quickly released from her veins and ran freely. In the shadows she fell, leaning against the wall as her life slowly emptied.  
  
It was he that found her many hours later, her eyes still open and a small smile frozen on her lips, she looked so contented like she had done after the first time that they had been together. Her colour had drained from her skin, her warmth replaced with a shocking coldness and as he knelt in the shadows next to her, tears stinging his eyes, he finally saw how small and delicate she had been.  
  
Only he truly grieved for her loss. For another love that had slipped him by, and the happiness that he could have had if he had only told her that he could have forgiven her for her few nights of madness, But once again he had failed the woman that he had loved and now, just like then he kept his feelings hidden from the rest of the world, like always, as he continued with his life hidden away in the shadows.

**The end  
**


End file.
